Author: Rachel Ravencraft

U.S. Dairy Highlights USMCA Review Priorities

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF’s Tony Rice joined a March 17 briefing hosted by the Congressional Agriculture Trade Caucus to emphasize the importance of the North American market for dairy producers and underscore the need to use the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review process to resolve longstanding trade barriers that limit American dairy-farmer access to key North American markets.

“The USMCA Joint Review presents an opportunity for the United States to strengthen the agreement and ensure Mexico and Canada live up to their commitments,” Rice said. “Preserving tariff-free access to Mexico is paramount, while measures to address Canada’s failure to comply with its dairy obligations and Mexico’s delayed implementation of its common name provisions are necessary for U.S. dairy producers receive the full benefit of the agreement.”

Canada has continued to manipulate its tariff-rate quota administration in ways that effectively shut out U.S. dairy, while also circumventing its USMCA disciplines on dairy protein exports. These violations undermine the market access that USMCA was designed to deliver.

Mexico, meanwhile, also as implementation gaps that require attention during the review even as it remains a positive trading partner. Specifically, Mexico still needs to incorporate certain USMCA common name commitments, which protect the ability of American producers to market their products like “feta,” into its regulatory structures and take clearer steps to ensure that new restrictions are not imposed on U.S. cheese exports.

NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council have been raising these concerns with members of Congress and the Administration throughout the lead-up to renewal, and the Agriculture Trade Caucus has become an important venue for that work. The bipartisan caucus, which NMPF and USDEC helped launch in January 2024, regularly convenes briefings on challenges facing agricultural exporters and Congress’ role in leveling the playing field.

NMPF and USDEC will continue to push to strengthen the agreement and ensure that the promises made to U.S. dairy farmers are kept as the three countries meet to discuss the future of the trade pact on July 1.

NMPF Raises Supply Chain Challenges on Multiple Fronts

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF’s Tony Rice took a central role in elevating serious supply chain issues from maritime reform to cargo theft before Congress and the White House in March as disruptions continue to threaten U.S. dairy exports.

Rice, NMPF’s senior director of trade policy, testified March 17 before a House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust hearing on ocean supply chain challenges, laying out the stakes for dairy exporters.

“Dairy farmers milk their cows 365 days a year,” Rice said. “For a dairy producer, these supply chain issues are not abstract policy concerns. When export shipments are delayed, cancelled, or become more expensive to move, the disruptions ripple back through the supply chain and ultimately affect farm income.”

The U.S. dairy industry exported $9.6 billion and three million metric tons of product last year, making reliable transportation vital to its economic wellbeing. Yet exporters remain heavily dependent on a handful of foreign-owned ocean carriers. Shipping disruptions ripple back through the supply chain and affect farm income.

Throughout the hearing, Rice relayed the industry’s call for greater investment in domestic shipbuilding capacity, stronger Federal Maritime Commission oversight, and improved transparency from carriers on booking decisions.

Even as supply chain challenges persist, cargo theft of intermodal shipping containers is spiking as well. Rice represented the food and ag industry as part of a coalition of supply chain stakeholders in a March 18 meeting with the National Economic Council at the White House. The group pressed the administration for resources to combat organized criminal networks that break into containers in search of high-value goods, with dairy exports caught in the crossfire.

In parallel, the NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council are working with Congress to advance the bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), which would give the Department of Homeland Security new tools to track and apprehend offenders.

Members experiencing supply chain issues should contact Tony Rice at trice@nmpf.org.

New World Screwworm Draws Near, NMPF Prepares

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

As spring temperatures rise, the threat of New World screwworm making its way into the United States is also increasing. NMPF is working with agencies and stakeholders to ensure dairy preparedness.

Infestations continue to push north toward the U.S.-Mexico border, with the closest currently active case about 150 miles from Texas; meanwhile, sterile flies are being released in Texas up to 50 miles from the Mexican border to help suppress populations before they can reach American livestock.

NMPF brought several key partners together for a webinar March 16 to share the latest on New World screwworm and what it means for U.S. dairy.

Three experts, Dr. Adis Dijab, associate deputy administrator for APHIS Veterinary Services, Dr. Sonja Swiger, professor and extension entomologist Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and Dr. T.R. Lansford III, deputy executive director and assistant state veterinarian at the Texas Animal Health Commission, walked through signs and symptoms of New World screwworm in livestock, the current status of the pest and some practical steps farmers can take to stay ahead of it.

The experts also shared what treatment options are currently available for livestock and gave an overview of potential cattle movement requirements or restrictions in the event of an outbreak in the United States.

USDA and state agencies will take the lead in managing any outbreak. NMPF has provided feedback to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on its emergency response plans for a U.S. screwworm infestation and USDA is taking that feedback into account to incorporate in its next response playbook draft.

During an outbreak, USDA handles movement between states, and individual states can add their own rules for moving livestock within their borders. Farmers can expect that animals will be subject to quarantine and movement restrictions in the areas closest to the infestation, including pre-movement animal health inspection and treatment when appropriate, based on standardized continuity of business New World screwworm animal health certification guidance. Most farmers should still be able to move their animals if they stick to the rules around inspections, treating wounds, paperwork and good biosecurity.

FDA has expanded animal drug treatment options for New World screwworm through Emergency Use Authorizations. Most recently, FDA issued an EUA March 10 for a new topical spray for lactating dairy cows that comes with only a 10-day milk withdrawal time. This is the first drug authorized for use to treat New World screwworm in lactating cattle.

NMPF will continue working with federal and state partners to ensure dairy farmers have the tools and support they need to keep their herds healthy.

NMPF Debuts State Issues Digest

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF this week introduced its first-ever State Issues Digest, a new publication designed to strengthen support for dairy farmers at the state level. The digest supports NMPF’s efforts to strengthen collaboration among states, better leverage shared resources and respond more swiftly to emerging challenges.

Distributed monthly to interested members, the newsletter highlights key issues affecting U.S. dairy farmers and their cooperatives across the states.

The inaugural edition covers a range of topics, including the growing financial and operational impacts of extended producer responsibility laws on dairy cooperatives and processors. It also examines efforts to remove flavored milk from schools, expand E-Verify requirements for employers, increase raw milk sales and more.

Readers can sign up and update their communication preferences to receive future editions of the digest.

NMPF Secures Key Dairy Wins as House Farm Bill Advances

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The 2026 Farm Bill advanced by the House Agriculture Committee on March 5 includes several NMPF priorities, reflecting the organization’s months of engagement with Chairman GT Thompson, R-PA, and other dairy champions as the bill won wide, bipartisan committee approval.

Among provisions critical to strengthening dairy farmers and their cooperatives, the legislation authorizes long-term dairy product processing cost surveys and extends essential programs such as Dairy Forward Pricing, Dairy Indemnity, and the Dairy Research and Promotion Program. The bill also reinforces voluntary, producer-led conservation efforts, including targeted support for methane-reducing practices.

NMPF secured forward-looking trade provisions in the bill, including a long-term directive for the U.S. government to protect common cheese names like parmesan and feta in trade negotiations, an effort introduced and championed by NMPF. The bill also included an NMPF request to formally move the Food for Peace program to USDA and designate $200 million in annual funding for dairy-based therapeutic foods to support global malnutrition efforts.

Additional victories include strengthened export promotion funding, expanded access to renewable energy programs for farmer-owned cooperatives, broader dairy eligibility in nutrition incentive programs, and continued support for farmer mental health and on-farm safety.

Chairman Thompson is focused on advancing the bill, which President Trump supports, to the House floor in the weeks ahead. The Senate has not yet acted on a companion bill. As the farm bill process moves ahead, NMPF remains focused on building bipartisan momentum to deliver lasting results for America’s dairy farmers.

NMPF Heads West for Board Meeting Tackling Labor, Celebrating Whole Milk

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF’s first March Board of Directors Meeting outside the Beltway brought fresh Arizona air — and innovative ideas — to critical discussions for the future of days March 9–10.

Committee and full-board discussions on labor, economics and animal health highlighted the two-day format of intense discussions and presentations held in Scottsdale. The successful new format both reduced travel burdens and costs for members while providing new opportunities to share staff updates and expertise with dairy leaders.

“We have a great team that’s doing a great job,” said NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud. “We are not letting off of the gas.”

Attendees had much to celebrate in terms of wins over the past few months, including the enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and favorable recognition of dairy’s nutritional benefits in the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Still, critical work remains on contentious topics including agricultural labor, a special focus at the meeting.

Key outcomes and action items from the meeting included:

  • The Board approved the establishment of a Membership Committee to explore affiliate membership qualification, dues and benefits. The committee will present recommendations at the June meeting.
  • The Board approved the development of an Enhanced Livestock Coverage Option with further economic analysis to be presented at the June meeting.
  • NMPF moved toward common member goals on ag labor policy based on discussion with the Immigration Task Force led by Agri-Mark Chairman and executive committee member Cricket Jacquier.
  • Charles Krause of Minnesota and Jennifer Leech of Virginia were welcomed as new board members representing Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.

If any board members or cooperatives need targeted talking points on ag labor or other issues as they engage their elected officials, reach out to Trey Forsyth (tforsyth@nmpf.org) and Maria Brockamp (mbrockamp@nmpf.org).

The next board meeting is set for June 8–10 at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City in Arlington, VA. NMPF will send registration and hotel details in early April. The plan is for board members to attend committee meetings June 8, with the board meeting the next day and Capitol Hill visits the final day. NMPF’s Animal Health and Well-Being Committee is also meeting June 10–11.

Stewardship Pays — Because Dairy Farmers Make It That Way

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

In the dairy business, feel-good attitudes don’t keep the lights on. Margins do.

That’s why U.S. dairy producers’ status as stewardship leaders, one reflected every day in smart business decisions, matters so much — not as a public relations exercise, but as a powerful, hard-earned advantage that strengthens productivity, manages risk, and improves profitability by putting farmers in the driver’s seat of innovation.

Public discussion about agriculture at times treats stewardship and profitability as parallel conversations — one is about social responsibility (whatever that may mean), while the other is about returns. A dairy farmer’s reality is very different. On dairies, stewardship is a business strategy that improves efficiency, manages risk, and strengthens U.S. dairy’s competitiveness at home and abroad. Its success hinges upon being farmer‑led, incentive‑based, and grounded in economics rather than mandates.

Efficiency has always been the foundation. To use a recent buzzword, you know what “regenerative ag” is to me? It’s the stuff my dad has emphasized on the farm for the past 50 years, and it’s stuff dairy farmers do every day.

Investments in genetics, nutrition, and cow comfort have dramatically increased milk output per cow over generations, to the point where one cow today produces five times as much milk as her counterpart did at the end of World War II. That lets farms produce more milk with fewer animals and fewer inputs. It improves margins by reducing feed costs per unit of production. And that, along the way, lowered the environmental footprint of producing milk; since 2007, U.S. dairy farmers have seen a 14.7% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions intensity from cradle-to-farm gate. These productivity gains aren’t a slogan to save the planet — they’re a core economic outcome, and they’ve saved family farms.

Manure management offers one of the clearest examples of stewardship paying off. Precision nutrient application, improved storage, and data‑driven planning help farmers capture more value from nutrients they already own. Replacing purchased fertilizer with managed manure reduces input costs and stabilizes crop yields. What may once have looked to some farmers like an environmental obligation has become what the smart ones always knew it would be: a balance‑sheet asset, driven by efficiency.

Anaerobic digesters are another example. They’re not cheap, but when properly scaled and paired with the right revenue streams, a well-designed digester that turns methane into natural gas can pay for itself within 5 to 8 years, according to Penn State Extension and AgSTAR research. In 2026, it’s not uncommon for a dairy producer to get checks for selling milk, beef and energy. That’s diversification. That’s innovation. That’s smart stewardship.

Dairy’s ag-leading stewardship, which can include everything from water recycling to LED lighting, doesn’t just help on-farm. Sustainability has become part of the trade conversation as American dairy exports have grown. Global buyers increasingly ask how food is produced as well as its price. Thanks to the leadership of its own farmers, the U.S. dairy industry holds a meaningful advantage.

Stewardship strengthens export competitiveness. Because the U.S. can produce more milk with fewer cows, less land, and fewer inputs, U.S. cheese and dairy ingredients compete globally on both cost and credibility.

A comparison with the European Union, the biggest U.S. export rival, is instructive. EU dairy producers operate under far more prescriptive environmental regulations that often impose fixed requirements regardless of farm size, geography, or economics. These mandates raise costs and discourage innovation, creating a mindset of doing the minimum needed for compliance. That’s light-years away from U.S. dairy’s culture of continuous improvement, which thrives through a voluntary, incentive‑based approach that lets farmers innovate, scale solutions, and improve efficiency in ways that keep costs lower and delivers environmental benefits.

U.S. dairy’s ability to demonstrate real, measurable progress without locking producers into rigid systems enhances the entire industry — and keeps environmental standards from becoming tools to exclude American products, or create limitations on the wide variety of business models that help our dairy farms thrive.

Stewardship also supports supply‑chain reliability. Farms that invest in nutrient efficiency, water management, and energy resilience are better positioned to withstand weather variability and input shocks. That stability flows through processors to international customers who want consistency as much as sustainability.

The common thread through all of this is farmer leadership.

American dairy stewardship is impressive. Just as important is how it’s been achieved — through voluntary, incentive‑based programs that respect farmers as problem‑solvers and avoid the heavy hand of government regulation. Cost‑sharing, technical assistance, and market incentives reduce upfront risk and preserve farmer flexibility. Farmers choose systems that fit their herd size, geography, and business model instead of forcing compliance with one‑size‑fits‑all mandates that may not deliver results.

This approach has allowed dairy farmers to make stewardship a key to profitability that has reduced emissions, improved efficiency, and strengthened their businesses — not because they were forced to, but because the incentives made economic and business sense.

U.S. dairy farmers have earned respect at home and abroad for their stewardship — and they’ve certainly earned their living. They’ve shown how private-sector, incentive-led solutions fuel profits and build trust over decades, setting them up for more progress in the decades to come — if left to do what they do best.

Buzzwords and trends come and go. Policy discussions evolve. Through all of it, dairy producers continue to evolve as stewards because they’re smart business owners, insightful innovators, and responsible operators. They will ensure their farms are efficient, productive and profitable, and they will leave their farms to the next generation in better shape than they found it.

That’s stewardship. That’s leadership. That’s dairy farming.

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

Trade Pacts Offer Dairy Opportunities, Trade Leader Morris Says

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The United States is negotiating bilateral trade agreements at a frenetic pace across the globe. Dairy’s key to success has been a proactive approach that gets the fundamentals of industry needs right, said Shawna Morris, an executive vice president with NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today.

“On the whole, a lot of good stuff coming down the pipe,” said Morris, specifically citing agreements with Indonesia and Taiwan as holding potential for significant market expansion, for dairy, which saw its second-best year for exports in 2025. Both in advising the U.S. government on agreements and maintaining gains overseas, NMPF/USDEC trade efforts are matching the federal government’s in its intensity, she said.

“Our focus really is on, how do we make sure that we’re keeping the doors open, and also looking at some of the policy tools that can be leveraged in order to expand consumption or dairy access more broadly,” Morris said.

Latin America’s first dairy nutrition summit

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

By Jaime Castaneda, Executive Vice President, Policy Development & Strategy

Against the backdrop of one of the world’s fastest-growing regions for dairy demand, the inaugural Latin American Dairy Nutrition Congress, NutriLact Congress 2026, brought together leading scientists, health professionals, and policymakers Feb. 25 to 26 in Lima, Peru.

Co-chaired by the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) Jaime Castaneda and Shawna Morris and organized by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Dairy Council (NDC), the two-day event marked an important step in countering anti-dairy narratives that have increasingly taken hold in Latin America. It brought decision-makers and leading academics from across the region together to engage with the latest science on dairy’s role in healthy diets.

Dairy at the center

Over the past several years, NMPF and USDEC have met with a network of industry partnerships across Latin America. Those international dairy sector partners were deeply concerned by the misinformation coming from health ministries and medical leaders across the region. It reflected inaccurate, outdated information about the health effects of consuming dairy and was increasingly showing up in policies impacting both domestic and imported dairy products.

This posed a growing threat to dairy demand in a key region for U.S. dairy exports. To address it, USDEC applied for USDA funding to organize an event that would bring leading scientific experts to the region to help close the information gap. NDC partnered on the project, contributing its scientific expertise and connections across the medical and academic communities.

Promoting dairy’s role in healthy diets

The Congress was organized around the theme of “Generational Nutrition and the Role of Dairy,” with the goal to examine how dairy foods can support health at every stage of life, from pregnancy and early childhood to adolescence, adulthood, and healthy aging.

More than 20 experts shared the latest research on dairy’s role in providing important nutrients and supporting overall health.

All told, more than 300 attendees from 17 countries traveled to Lima, including representatives from research institutions, health ministries, and international organizations such as the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization and the Pan-American Health Organization.

Turning research into action

A key focus of the Congress was translating research into real-world solutions. Panels brought together scientists and government officials to talk about how dairy can be included in everything from national dietary guidelines and school meal programs to maternal and child nutrition initiatives and clinical nutrition practices.

Speakers from leading institutions, including Harvard Medical School, Tufts University, and Mayo Clinic, presented research on heart health, child development, pregnancy nutrition, and meeting essential nutrient needs, and provided policymakers and health leaders with practical, evidence-based tools they can use in their own countries.

NutriLact Congress 2026 was not a one-time event, but rather the beginning of a longer-term regional effort to ensure that accurate information about dairy can consistently shape health policies and medical advice across Latin America to support dairy consumption in the region.

U.S. Dairy: Ready to meet Latin America’s demand

Beyond the science, the Congress underscored a practical reality: As Latin American governments and health systems talk about the benefits of dairy to close nutritional gaps, dairy consumption will increase. The United States is uniquely positioned to help meet that demand.

U.S. dairy exports to Latin America have grown steadily, and the region is seen as one of the most promising markets for future growth.

The NutriLact Congress was about more than sharing science. It was also about building trust and long-term partnerships. By positioning U.S. dairy as a reliable, research-backed partner in Latin America’s nutrition efforts, this initiative helped lay the foundation for stronger trade relationships and continued collaboration in the years ahead.

 

This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on March 19, 2026.

U.S. Dairy Testifies on State of Maritime Supply Chain

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Tony Rice, Senior Director of Trade Policy at the National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council, testified today before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust on the maritime supply chain challenges faced by the U.S. dairy industry.

The U.S. dairy industry exported $9.6 billion and three million metric tons of cheeses, milk powders, whey proteins, and other dairy products last year, making reliable transportation vital to its economic wellbeing. Yet American dairy exporters have little choice but to rely on a small number of ocean carrier options, almost all of which are foreign owned.

“Dairy farmers milk their cows 365 days a year,” Rice said. “When export shipments are delayed, cancelled, or become more expensive to move, the disruptions ripple back through the supply chain and ultimately affect farm income.”

Rice drew on lessons from the pandemic-induced supply chain crisis, when severe delays, routinely cancelled bookings and unprecedented port congestion disrupted cargo movements and cost U.S. dairy producers billions in unexpected costs and lost sales opportunities. While the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 addressed several issues related to unfair fees, Rice highlighted that dairy exporters in the U.S. continue to face operational uncertainty when bookings are rejected, port calls are skipped or receiving windows shift without explanation.

To address these challenges, the U.S. dairy industry called for greater investment in the domestic maritime sector to expand American shipbuilding capacity, robust Federal Maritime Commission oversight of the global maritime carrier marketplace and increased transparency from ocean carriers on booking decisions.

“We recognize the importance of efficient global shipping networks,” Rice said. “Our concern is ensuring that those networks work for American dairy exporters as well as they work for global carriers.”

U.S.–Ecuador Agreement Improves Access to Tightly Restricted Dairy Market

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the Consortium for Common Food Names praised Friday’s signing of a U.S.–Ecuador agreement on reciprocal trade. The agreement would improve export opportunities for U.S. dairy products in a market that has been plagued by restrictive tariffs and nontariff trade barriers.

The deal is slated to eliminate tariffs on several U.S. dairy products; recognize U.S. regulatory oversight, including commitments to eliminate facility listing requirements and accept dairy certificates issued by U.S. regulatory authorities; overhaul Ecuador’s burdensome import licensing system for agricultural products; and protect 40 common cheese names like “parmesan.” U.S. dairy exporters have faced challenges in these areas in this market.

“Ecuador has long been a difficult market for U.S. dairy exporters to crack,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “This agreement puts in place the strong nontariff disciplines needed for U.S. dairy exporters of ingredients and various cheeses to make headway in growing their sales to Ecuador, while also improving the tariff landscape in this market.”

“Ambassador Greer, Ambassador Callahan and the USTR team have racked up yet another win for American dairy farmers with this Ecuador agreement,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “With an unprecedented investment in U.S. dairy manufacturing capacity, deals like this are vital to making it easier for international buyers to source the great products our dairy companies are making.”

“The European Union has been working aggressively in Ecuador for several years now to pursue market restrictions impacting sales opportunities for both local product and other non-EU products,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN. “Our thanks to the USTR team, in particular Ambassador Callahan, for delivering strong common names protection that will provide greater opportunities to sell U.S. products like ‘parmesan’ and ‘bologna’ in a growing region of Latin America.”

The agreement is the tenth trade deal secured to date by the Administration that includes new market access for U.S. dairy products. USDEC, NMPF and CCFN remain committed to working with the Administration to support implementation of the agreement’s provisions.